Click It or Ticket

[Scarfather]

http://www.nhtsa.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.ce4a601cdfe97fc239d17110cba046a0/

A.K.A.

Protect yourself, or we'll fine your ass.

This is one of the most obvious revenue sucking laws I have ever lived through. Don't get me wrong, I buckle up everywhere I go, and not because I fear fines, but because I want to protect myself. There should be laws to forbid behavior that endangers others, but the government has NO RIGHT to force its citizens to partake in an action that protects no one but the individual citizen.

I don't have a problem even with a seat belt law for minors, as they are forbidden from partaking in other dangerous acts (smoking, drinking, etc.), but for them to do this to adults is bullshit.

Am I off here? Should the government have the right to force you to buckle up?

[Criminal Rock]

exactly... operating a vehicle without a seatbelt does not affect your ability as a driver, nor does it affect others on the road.

Of course it’s a stupid idea NOT to use it, but it’s something you can’t (or shouldn’t) force people to do.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

I used to think it was a bad idea, but I don't even know anymore. Of course, I think it should definitely be against the law to not buckle up minors.

[EVILxxx]

I used to support this to a degree, now I don't. There are a-thousand-and-one reasons for a cop to pull you over already, they don't need one more.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

We've had click it or ticket in South Carolina for several years now, which surprised a lot of people because our governor Mark Sanford is a strongly anti-government, libertarian Republican. It's been clicking (pun intended) with a lot of unlikely people.

[The Postmaster General]

It does affect others, because if you fly out of the windshield and die, that section of road is going to be closed down while they pull resources for an investigation. If you are thrown from behind the wheel, you've just left a 2 ton piece of machinery running amok.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not particularly thrilled about laws that tell me what to do to, but I mean - you have to draw lines. I can drive just fine after a beer, but would be legally drunk. Some people might have no problems at all driving without a seatbelt, some might get jarred from an impact, get thrown away from the wheel and unable to control their vehicle.

At the same time though, you can take prescription meds and drive, so it's all arbitrary enough that I'm not going to totally discourage criticism.

Personally, I think things used to be better before insurance companies, which I'm pretty sure are behind most of these things. Seatbelts are the first thing you ask about when you are in an accident. I'm not big on lawsuits, but personally I think some things were better off when certain people had to be worried about having the pants sued off them. Just leave the insurance for us poor people.

[Vong]

When I drive alone in my car, I don't wear a seat belt. Anyone who rides with me has a choice if they do or don't.

If the only person potentially at risk is me for not wearing a seat belt, who are the police to say that I should wear one?

[Brando @$$ Fat]

Originally posted by Vong
When I drive alone in my car, I don't wear a seat belt. Anyone who rides with me has a choice if they do or don't.

If the only person potentially at risk is me for not wearing a seat belt, who are the police to say that I should wear one?


If this is your way of being rebellious you might want to rethink this, because when the cops have to scrape your brains off of the hot gravel, you won't be so rebellious anymore.

[Jamesadin]

Originally posted by Brando @$$ Fat
If this is your way of being rebellious you might want to rethink this, because when the cops have to scrape your brains off of the hot gravel, you won't be so rebellious anymore.

Plus, Vong it is illegal in Canada not to wear a seatbelt (as you probably know).

Really, anyone who doesn't wear one should probably rethink about it.

[Thrizzle]

Not wearing a seatbelt is something i've never understood. It literally only takes 2 seconds and in the event on an accident, will save your life.

Regarding the law, i generally agree with it just because it decreases the burden on the healthcare system.

[Vong]

Originally posted by Brando @$$ Fat
If this is your way of being rebellious you might want to rethink this, because when the cops have to scrape your brains off of the hot gravel, you won't be so rebellious anymore.

I realize that dude, but that's my choice. Besides, if my brains are splattered over the road, I won't care about it...I'll be dead...there's nothing rebellious about it....it's just a matter of choice.

And yes Jamesadin, I do know it's illegal not to wear my seatbelt...

[unspoken]

I know several people who, after getting in bad wrecks, were asked by cops if they were wearing seatbelts. When they said no, the cop said "I figured that, because you wouldn't be here talking to me if you were."

Sometimes it helps, sometimes it hinders. You just gotta get lucky I guess.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

Originally posted by unspoken
Sometimes it helps, sometimes it hinders. You just gotta get lucky I guess.

True, but why not do something that, as Thrizzle said, could save your live from an almost certain death that literally only takes two seconds?

I don't usually support this kind of excessive legislation, but it's worked really well in South Carolina and there haven't been a lot of tickets down here because almost everyone wears a seatbelt.

Besides, if Vong dies, then who will be our Marxist voice here?

[Squid Vicious]

The benefits of wearing a seatbelt should be common sense by now. I don't think there's any need to have a law that forbids people from not wearing one. These kinds of laws are just slowing down natural selection.

[Jamesadin]

Originally posted by unspoken
I know several people who, after getting in bad wrecks, were asked by cops if they were wearing seatbelts. When they said no, the cop said "I figured that, because you wouldn't be here talking to me if you were."

Sometimes it helps, sometimes it hinders. You just gotta get lucky I guess.

Significantly more times than not, it hinders you, though. Being thrown from a vehicle is much, much more dangerous. Hell, just two weeks ago a person I used to live with in dorms was thrown from a vehicle and killed. He wasn't wearing a seatbelt. His girlfriend in the passenger seat who was wearing one got only scratches. Anyone who argues that it is safer not to wear one (which don't get me wrong, I don't think you are trying to do, unspoken) should have their head checked.

[Cyclonus]

I agree that wearing a seatbelt is just good common sense, especially if you're on the highway. I always buckle up before driving without even thinking about it. But is it necessary to back it up with the force of law? In the long run, isn't it more beneficial to make sure people drive safely so that there are fewer accidents to begin with? Then again, Milwaukee is a town that could benefit from this particular law. Our drivers are the worst. :p L.A. drivers are supposed to be pretty bad too, though I haven't been there long enough to find that out firsthand.

[The Postmaster General]

Originally posted by Vong
When I drive alone in my car, I don't wear a seat belt. Anyone who rides with me has a choice if they do or don't.

If the only person potentially at risk is me for not wearing a seat belt, who are the police to say that I should wear one?

Yeah, but when your brains are splattered on the ground, and they have to close down the highway --- and everyone is late for work --- You are affecting other people. When you are tossed from behind your wheel and your 70mph metal machine is left unmanned, burrowing down the freeway, you decision has affected other people.

Didn't I already say this? Fuck, at least argue against it. Ignoring it is just... well, ignorant.

I'll go at times with no seatbelt, but on the big roads, I always throw them on. Seriously, most of my driving is based on concern for other people - I don't even turn my turnsignal on if I'm in a right lane and there is a car in front of me at the light waiting to go straight --- I don't want to stress the guy out with the thought that I'm eager to make my right hand turn but can't because he's there. When I see cars speeding up to merge, I slow down - if they are going slow, I speed up. This goes on and on to the point of obsession.

The last thing I want to do, aside from endanger my family in any way --- I really, really don't want to be one of those people who is responsible for thousands of people being late for work. Wearing a seat belt ensures me of that just that much more.

Seriously, I don't get how anyone can be against seatbelt laws, but FOR dui laws. None of them have just thought it out far enough.

[Raoul Duke]

Also, what if you get hit and are tossed around the car, smashing into your passengers. injuring or kill them.

[Vong]

Originally posted by BubbaStrangelove
Yeah, but when your brains are splattered on the ground, and they have to close down the highway --- and everyone is late for work --- You are affecting other people. When you are tossed from behind your wheel and your 70mph metal machine is left unmanned, burrowing down the freeway, you decision has affected other people.

Didn't I already say this? Fuck, at least argue against it. Ignoring it is just... well, ignorant.

Who says I read everyone's post before I create my own?
I guess from now on I'll just make sure that your posts are read, to be sure I don't offend you :rolleyes:

So you're telling me that in the event my body is thrown from the car, through the windshield and onto the road, somehow my car will continue "burrowing down the freeway"? Wouldn't the sudden stop in my vehicle lead to the subsequent ejection of my carcass?

Did you ever take physics? Newton's Laws ring a bell?

[The Postmaster General]

Originally posted by Vong
Who says I read everyone's post before I create my own?
I guess from now on I'll just make sure that your posts are read, to be sure I don't offend you :rolleyes:

Calm down. I didn't know of any other way to redirect your attention back to my original post.


So you're telling me that in the event my body is thrown from the car, through the windshield and onto the road, somehow my car will continue "burrowing down the freeway"? Wouldn't the sudden stop in my vehicle lead to the subsequent ejection of my carcass?


Actually, I was referring to you sliding from behind the wheel, which is what happens to drivers when their car turns with a lot of force. Haven't you ever had a slipping out of the seat feeling when taking turns really fast? Going into a spin with a forward momentum of 40+ mph creates a lot of centripetal force. You might have hands of steel, but unless you drive bareback and have a really hairy ass, and maybe suede car seats - your ass is not staying in that seat. This is why stock car drivers generally have nice asses, or at least that's why they say they compare mine to that of a race car driver - or at least that's what I would imagine they would say if I imagined those sorts of things and didn't just talk about them on the internet.

What you are talking about - collisions, a seat belt is a concern there in cases on being struck head on or from behind by another vehicle, and not in position to brake the car and preventing it from rolling foward/backwards. All good drivers know that your supposed to immediately brake once you are struck - keeps the car from drifting into traffic, or pedestrians. You can't do that if you shoot out of the car like Jay Jay The Sperm.

Man, aren't there a bunch of mountains and ice in Canada? You're going to end up spinning around and shooting out of your car then end up behind the car, only to have it start coasting toward you, and your ass is going to be running down the side of a hill with the car chasing you, and people are going to see you and go, "Hey, look man, it's kind of like Indiana Jones."

Did you ever take physics? Newton's Laws ring a bell?

Yeah, I took that, from K-12, it was a requirement. We did jumping jacks, ran laps, and learned team sports. What the hell does that have to do with driving? If you would have said like do I ever had take driver ed, then I'd think that was funny, but man you make no sense. Maybe at your school the PE coach also taught drivers ed, but not at mine. Then I don't even know what the hell you mean about cookies... I mean, excuse me, a fig. What the hell? It's against the law to eat newtons or something?

:D

[free]

Should the government have the right to force you to buckle up?

Since driving a car is a licensed privilege and not a right that we have, they can decide what you can and what you can't do. If you don't like it, you always have the option of not getting a driver's license.

People who sell liquor can't sell to minors. They don't have a right to sell liquor, selling liquor is a licensed privilege and one of the limits to that privilege is that they are restricted in who they sell to. As above, if they don't like that restriction, they don't have to apply for the liquor license.

Do I agree with the law? No. Do they the "right" to make and enforce that law. Yes.

[SpongeBod]

I find it worse that cars now tell you to buckle up.
If you don't an annoying beep will drive you crazy, and make you want to crash into a wall.
I wear my seabelt anyway, but I also have a gate at my house that I drive through which I have to get out to open and close. But I can't drive 10 freakin' feet without that damn setbelt beeper going off. I think that's going too far. I'm sure it all boils down to preventing lawsuits, but I still don't like it. At least, make it were I can turn it off if I want.

[The Postmaster General]

Originally posted by SpongeBod
I find it worse that cars now tell you to buckle up.
If you don't an annoying beep will drive you crazy, and make you want to crash into a wall.
I wear my seabelt anyway, but I also have a gate at my house that I drive through which I have to get out to open and close. But I can't drive 10 freakin' feet without that damn setbelt beeper going off. I think that's going too far. I'm sure it all boils down to preventing lawsuits, but I still don't like it. At least, make it were I can turn it off if I want.



Well, what do you think of these cars that can't start unless you pass a breathalizer --- That drives me bats, because I know a few people that have lots of property, and we will drive around through the woods and stuff - nothing like the Dukes of Hazard or anything, but after a few beers you *are* screaming YEEE-HAAAA! It kind of sucks because - considering all the private property involved and all, it's feels very invasive, considering you don't even need a license to drive on private property.

It also makes me wonder how it'll affect people who like to drink a work on their cars.

I know this is about seat belts, but I'm getting kind of riled up about MADD now ---- I bet they have something to do with seatbelt laws. The story of Madd is interesting because the lady who founded it ended up disowning it because she thought they were taking her idea too far.

[SpongeBod]

Originally posted by BubbaStrangelove
we will drive around through the woods and stuff
He's not called Bubba for nothin'. :D

[Scarfather]

Originally posted by free
Do I agree with the law? No. Do they the "right" to make and enforce that law. Yes.

Note that the question was; in fact; should they, not, do they.

[The Postmaster General]

Originally posted by SpongeBod
He's not called Bubba for nothin'. :D

HeHeeee!
Where you goin' city boy?